Emily and the Elephant

Emily burst into the elephant cage, dressed in her circus outfit: a lot of silver tassels and feathers, and platform shoes. Everything shone or sparkled as she moved, including her tan legs and arms which were oiled and covered with glitter. Now she moved fast- the cage was in chaos: the elephant flailed about, trying to dislodge the lion which had sunken its teeth into its neck and was hanging on with its powerful claws. With acrobatic ease, Emily jumped and grabbed onto the lion which only dug its claws an teeth deeper into the elephant’s thick flesh. The three of them crashed around in the cage, smashing against the bars, destroying the wooden troughs, spilling water and peanuts everywhere.

After a powerful slam against one of the concrete walls, Emily and the lion fell to the cement floor, her arms still encircled his neck and her face getting smothered in his mane. The lion roared and the two rolled around, wrestling in the bloody sawdust and elephant excrement. Emily was banged up and cut all over her back but she still held on, trying hard to squeeze the life out of him. Above them the elephant banged around, panicking, and they barely avoided getting trampled by his huge feet as they fought. With another terrible roar the lion clawed Emily’s leg, tearing a long scar that gushed blood. She loosened her grasp just long enough for the lion to free himself. He spun around and bit right through her arm. She doubled over, screaming. Then the elephant, blood dripping down from the wound in his neck, gored the lion’s side with one of his huge tusks.

Emily crawled toward the door, bleeding profusely. It was suddenly flung open by the strong man, who was gored by the elephant’s other tusk. He crumpled, falling beside Emily and the lion. With little gleaming eyes the elephant stared down his foes as, one by one, they all bled to death.